Altcoin ETF Approvals Delayed, Sparking Market Concerns
On April 30, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) postponed decisions on several altcoin ETF applications, including those for XRP, Solana, and Hedera, pushing deadlines to June 10-11. This follows earlier delays for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Polkadot ETFs, reflecting the SEC’s cautious stance on cryptocurrency regulation amid a complex political landscape. The cryptocurrency sector saw a 2.6% capitalization drop, with top altcoins like XRP and Dogecoin sliding as investors reacted to the uncertainty. Despite high approval odds—up to 87% for some altcoins like XRP—market experts note limited institutional interest compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum, which recently saw $3.4 billion in ETF inflows. The delays, attributed to the SEC’s need for more review time, have heightened investor anxiety, with some questioning whether regulatory hurdles will stifle altcoin growth in 2025, even as Bitcoin continues to dominate.
